Originally Posted by
greathustle
Great, thanks for the response. I'm not sure how close I'll be to DM by year end, starting from 0 now -- if it's close, I'll probably find some way to do it, but most likely it'll wait until next year, assuming I'm still flying somewhere DL is best from SFO. Have enjoyed the service and especially the wifi so far
Just to clarify something you wrote, suppose I waitlist for mileage (not SWU) upgrade 2 weeks out, and it doesn't clear prior to check-in. When I get to the gate, will I be on the airport standby list with priority over complimentary upgrades, or is that for SWUs only? Thanks
If you want to be DM by the end of the year and can't do it just by flying, consider the Delta Amex Reserve card, which will let you get another 10,000 MQM for signup and then an additional 30,000 MQM after you churn a $60,000 spend. (or 15,000 MQM for $30,000 spend).
The fee is a bit steep for this card but is cheap compared to the expense and wasted time of the "miles run" nonsense that some people do to top up their status.
You can also stack this with the Business version of the same card. And likewise, the Business and Personal versions of the Delta Platinum Amex. Depending on how many miles you need, how much cash you can run through a credit card, and your willingness to pay fees to Amex in exchange for Delta status, you can get past Platinum before you've even set foot on an airplane.